


Family Don't End With Blood

by TheRighteousMan (FullmetalFlameElric)



Series: Signs in the Marrow [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe, CSI Stiles, FBI Agent Derek, First Kiss, Fluff, Holidays, Kid Fic, Pre-Slash, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-24
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-05 21:37:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1098865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FullmetalFlameElric/pseuds/TheRighteousMan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a case, Stiles has to say goodbye to the little girl that stole his heart. Derek just wants to see him smile again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family Don't End With Blood

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Holidays, I guess? I wanted to put something longer and better? But It's been hard to write recently for some reason. So I did the best I could for now. I'll try and do something better for next year or New Years.
> 
> Happy Holidays! Stay warm or cool... depending on where you live.
> 
> Also! If you guys want more of this verse, let me know! I might not be completely adverse to it. I put it in one just incase so... yeah. Let me know.

“It was the father…” Stiles muttered, entering the office and setting down the file. Hazle eyes lifted and focused on the brunet man before him, arms crossed over his chest and feet fidgeting where he stood awkwardly. Sighing, the elder leaned forward and took the file from his desk and paged through it.

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah, Derek… I’m sure. The murder weapon was his. The motive fits. His physical characteristics would make it possible for him to afflict the wounds on our victim…” Stiles muttered, clearly uncomfortable with the outcome.

Flipping the file closed, Derek sighed and nodded. “Ok… I’ll make the call…” He muttered. Stiles nodded, shifting a bit uneasily before speaking.

“What’s… going to happen to Maggie?” He asked, brown eyes wide and worried. Derek’s thoughts immediately went back to the little five year old Stiles had volunteered to house for the duration of the investigation. Her mother was dead, murdered by the man Maggie called her father. There were no nearby relatives that were willing to take her in and her grandparents were living in nursing homes. 

“...She’ll be put into the system.” Derek answered honestly, noting the barely visible wince. He knew the little girl had grown on the man. And Stiles had fallen for her charms the second he’d offered to talk to her. “...I’m sorry, Stiles.”

“No.. I know. I just….want her to be happy, you know?”

“I know…” Standing up, Derek stepped around and clapped him on the shoulder once. “I’ll make sure she goes to a good home…”

“Thank you…”

Derek just nodded, looking the younger over closely. “You ok?”

“Yeah.” Stiles muttered, nodding and clearing his throat. “Yeah. I’m… going to go home and get Maggie’s things together…. see if I can… ease her into this…”

 

The case was closed quickly, the trial being pushed through so as to make things as easy as possible. Stiles made sure he was there even on the days he wasn’t needed. The entire time, he kept a close eye on Maggie. She was quiet for the most part, sitting close to Stiles when she got the chance. The last few days of her staying with him, she clung to him.

When it was all said and done, it was nearly impossible for him to part with the girl.

“You be safe, alright?” Stiles hushed, kneeling down and brushing the chocolate brown bangs from the little girl’s eyes. She watched him, blue eyes wide and scared. Her fingers were curled in the sleeves of his jacket, holding him close. “...I have something for you.” He added, shifting and pulling out a small chain with a pendant on it.

Maggie frowned and looked into his hand, fear disappearing as recognition sparked. “It’s the bear…”

Smiling, Stiles nodded. “Yeah… yeah, the bear… This bear will keep you safe… Make sure you’re never alone. See the little spirals in the center there?” He asked, shifting so she could get a better look at it. She nodded. “It’s a triskele… each arm of the spiral means something… anything you want them to mean… it’s to remind you of something important.”

Blue eyes turned back to him before Maggie was hugging him, crying into his shoulder. Rubbing her back, Stiles held her close. He pressed a comforting kiss to her temple. “Be good… ok? I’ll visit you… see how you’re doing…”

From his spot just down the hall, Derek watched the entire thing unfold. He could already feel the headache coming on. For as long as he’d known Stiles, the young man had always loved kids.

He really didn’t need this.

 

“What’re your plans for Christmas Eve?” Derek asked, taking a seat beside Stiles at the bar, nodding to the owner of the small diner. Stiles paused and glanced up from his pie, swallowing.

“If you’re wondering because of a dead body, I’m not working the holiday… The bones will still be there when I get in on Thursday morning.” The younger muttered, taking another bite and turning back to his food.

Stiles had been in a mood ever since Maggie had been taken into state custody. That had been just about a week ago. Honestly, Derek couldn’t blame him. He’d seen a whole other side of Stiles than he ever had before in the entire two years he’d been working with the younger man.

“Not a body. Sorry. We all know how much you like those.” Derek deadpanned, muttering a tanks as the house special was placed before him.

It earned him an eye roll from the usually sarcastic man. “Gee… really? Be still my beating heart.”

“Really, though… what are you doing for Christmas Eve?” Derek tried again.

Sighing, Stiles set his fork down and turned to look at Derek. “My god you’re chatty. Normally I’m the one that can’t shut up…” He sat back in his seat and focused more on Derek. “... You have Hunter Christmas Eve, don’t you?” Derek nodded. “Then why are you asking me what I’m doing?”

Derek shrugged. “Well… Hunter misses you… And I know last year you just sat at home eating take out…”

“Is there a point here, Derek?”

Sighing, the usually quiet male bit the bullet. “Why don’t you come for supper?”

Stiles frowned and tilted his head a bit. “... Derek, it’s the only time you have with Hunter. I wouldn’t-”

“You wouldn’t be…. We want you there.” Derek interrupted, shaking his head. “Really, Stiles… just… come over at six…”

“...Ok…”

 

“...Thank you.” Stiles muttered, leaning into Derek’s shoulder. The elder snorted, sipping his beer before setting it aside. This was a familiar dance between the two of them, being close but never stepping over that fine line.

“Thank you for joining us… I did mean it when I said Hunter missed you.” Derek stated, glancing over to where the seven year old was coloring. Stiles just chuckled, resting his head on the man’s shoulder. A job in the FBI had done wonders for the man’s body, not that Stiles would ever say it aloud.

“I’m sure he did. He’s a great kid, you know?” Stiles muttered. “You’ve got one amazing kid, there…”

“Yeah… just wish I got to spend more time with him, you know?”

“At least you get to see him…”

Derek fell silent at that, studying Stiles close. He really hoped he didn’t regret this. He’d had to call in so many favors.

The sound of the doorbell drew their attention and Stiles shifted as Derek got to his feet. “I’ll be right back…” He made his way to the door, smiling when he spotted Laura on the other side. He opened the door and grinned.

“Don’t make me regret this, Hale..” she muttered, giving him a pointed look.

“I won’t. I promise…”

 

“Wolves, now huh?” Stiles asked, smiling as Hunter grinned and nodded.

“Yeah! They’re really neat! They live in packs and there’s an alpha that leads the whole pack!” the seven year old was explaining.

Derek poked his head around the corner and chuckled. “Hey, Hunter… think you could let Stiles come here for a minute?”

Both stopped, eyes wide as if they’d been caught in the act of stealing from the cookie jar. It was adorable, but Derek had a mission here. Slowly, Stiles got to his feet and shuffled over.

“What’s up?”

“Merry Christmas…” Derek muttered, stepping to the side. A blur and the next thing Stiles knew, he had a set of small arms wrapped around him, a familiar head of brunette hair the only thing he could see.

“Stiles!”

The man blinked. “Maggie?” he asked shocked, arms going around her instinctively as he turned to look at Derek shocked.

Derek just shrugged. “I pulled a few strings… all you have to do is sign the papers and you can take her home…” He muttered, feeling a slight flush to his cheeks as he spoke.

Stiles’ eyes widened and he pulled Maggie closer to him, lifting her into his arms. He locked gazes with Derek. “Thank you…” he choked out, turning to bury his face in Maggie’s soft hair. He didn’t hear Derek leave them be. He didn’t remember Derek putting Hunter to bed. He just remembered the soft murmurings of conversation between he and Maggie as he reassured the young girl they could go home soon. They made plans to repaint her room. Stiles promised her they could go and see Grandpa John.

She fell asleep in his arms and finally Stiles came back to the world around him. He realized he was still at Derek’s and blushed slightly. How long he had been there, he wasn’t sure, but he made his way back into the main house.

“Hey…” Derek greeted, looking up from his book. “She asleep?”

“Yeah… I should… I should get her home…” Stiles muttered, shifting her in his arms. Derek nodded and stood.

“I’ll walk you out…”

It was quiet as they gathered the few things of Stiles and the bag of Maggie’s belongings. Stiles had noted the small necklace he’d given her secured around her neck. It made him smile just a hit more.

Stiles got her secured in the car, covering her up with his own jacket before setting the bags in the car as well. Closing the door, he straightened up and turned to Derek, shifting a bit awkwardly.

“....Thank you….”

“She was happy with you… you were happy with her…” Derek muttered, shrugging. “It seemed kind of obvious…”

“I owe you for this-” Stiles started, only getting a shake of his head from Derek.

“No. No you don’t.”

“Derek, you had to have pulled so many strings and-”

“No. I called in a few favors. So what? It’s worth it to know that you two are happy…”

Biting his lower lip, Stiles nodded. “Still…” He hesitated, weighing his options before making up his mind. He stepped forward and darted in for a quick, chaste kiss, no more than the brush of the lips before he was pulling back. “Thank you…”

Derek blinked a moment before his smile returned. “...Merry Christmas, Stiles…”

“Merry Christmas, Derek… I’ll uh… I’ll see you Thursday… maybe?”

“If not at work then… maybe we can grab lunch together….”

“Yeah… yeah, I’d like that…”

“It’s a date….”


End file.
